Kisumu County Commissioner John Elungata has urged the county government to help zone the town for motorists to restore sanity and ease traffic flow.
Elungata said the city manager Doris Ombara should put in place guidelines that regulated the flow of traffic in the city.
He said poor parking of bodaboda riders in Kisumu’s Central Business District pose a security risk to financial institutions and other business premises.
Speaking at his office yesterday, Elungata who chair county security committee said operators create disorder in town.
He urged the county government to designate stages for riders, matatu and tuktuk before they are barred from accessing town.
He observed that market places are jammed leading to the disruption of parking order in the city. The commissioner said the operators have invaded the CBD and should be regulated.
“We need to have designated areas for motorists. PSVs and riders should not be allowed on Oginga Odinga Street,” Elungata said.
He questioned why the bodaboda operators are allowed into the CBD. They park everywhere, in front of supermarkets, banks and shops.
“This poses security risks as the country faces terror threats,” Elungata said. Elungata said Kisumu remains an economic hub in the Western Kenya region and they must safeguard the interest of city residents.
He said the county has mandate to enforce an existing law without any deliberate violations of anyone’s right urging operators to heed to the directive.
This comes as business community and security agents in Kisumu town have called on the county government to ban boda boda and tuktuks from the CBD.
They said some crime incidents in the town are caused by uncontrolled movement and late night operation by boda bodas. Business people said urgent measures should be taken to reduce crime.
He appreciated the major contribution of the operators in country’s economy but called them to observe sanity in the transport sector.
Last year, motorists opposed plans to block them from CBD. The plan had required operators from Kondele on the Jomo Kenyatta Highway join Angawa Avenue and stop behind Standard Chartered Bank.
Those from Nyalenda were to stop opposite Kisumu Hotel and operators from Busia road at Standard Chartered Bank.